THEY say money can't buy you love. But family and friends may be able to do just that for singles this Christmas - by buying them dating vouchers.
The "gifts of love" - available in $10 denomination - can be spent at events and services offered by dating agencies accredited by the Social Development Network (SDN) Trust.
The romantic initiative was launched yesterday by the SDN, in a move to get family and friends to play an active role in encouraging their single loved ones to go out and find the man or woman of their dreams.
There are 11 accredited agencies in the scheme, including Lunch Actually, Love Express Services and A Dance Date.
The SDN - which promotes marriage in Singapore - also announced plans for a five-week Dating Fest from Dec 29, with activities such as mass speed dating, pastry-making and bowling.
Acting Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing told reporters: "Our job is to promote that conducive environment for people to come and meet each other and to settle down.
"Whether they eventually do so will be a personal decision, nobody can mandate that, nobody can force anybody to do that."
MP Vikram Nair, a panel member of the SDN's Partner Connection Fund, said that enlisting family and friends to get singles to mingle would soften the stigma of a matchmaking event.
Mr Nair, who is single, said he had signed up at a dating agency before becoming an MP. "Family and friends are the ones who know them best, so hopefully they will know how receptive the people are... I don't think this is going to be a silver bullet; hopefully it can make some progress."
Ms Lydia Gan, president of the Association of Dating Agencies and Matchmakers, said giving vouchers is merely a way to enrich someone's life with more friends - not necessarily with the goal of marriage in mind.
Sociologist Paulin Straughan also gave the idea the thumbs up as an "active intervention", but noted that younger singles may feel that the move is too personal.
"Courtship and choosing a spouse should come naturally, so the idea of someone buying a voucher to give you a leg up is very awkward," she said.
Some single Singaporeans who spoke to The Straits Times said the idea is insulting - but added that they may use the voucher "just for the sake of using it".
"I can find my own dates, and I would not buy it for a friend because it would suggest that I think he cannot find a date," said civil servant Candice Chan, 32.
But some were quick to add that they do not despair at being single.
Mr Au Wei Dong, 24, who runs a wine distribution company, said: "I don't get why these people worry about me being single - I'm probably having more fun than they are."
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